12 Things You Must Never Do to Your Dog

 Dogs are without a doubt the best and most loyal friends a man can have. Our hairy ones are always ready to accompany us in all our adventures and misadventures without needing to talk to make you feel that they understand perfectly how you feel.

However, there are some things that dogs don't like at all about us, either because they make them feel uncomfortable or because they don't understand the way we act and the way we show them affection. If you dedicate yourself to better understanding our dogs' language and communication, you will be able to identify their preferences and express your affection in a way they will also appreciate.

At The Pretty Pets, we invite you to discover more and more tips and curiosities about dogs so that you can take care of your best friend in the best possible way. Today, we invite you to discover the 12 things you shouldn't do to your dog if you want to respect his wants and needs so that he has a great quality of life.

In the rest of our article 12 things you should not do to your dog we will detail these 12 things in more detail! Enjoy reading!

1. Not respecting the basic freedoms of animal welfare

Just like human beings, dogs need some basic freedoms and rights in order to enjoy a healthy, dignified and happy life. Knowing and respecting the 5 freedoms of animal welfare is essential in order to build a positive relationship with your dog, based on trust and affection. That's why ignoring his needs or rights is something you should never do!

The 5 freedoms of animal welfare are:

- Freedom from thirst, hunger and malnutrition

- Free of discomfort

- Free from pain and disease

- Free to express oneself

- Free from fear and stress

2. Getting upset because your dog is a dog

YES, your dog will jump on you when you get home and dirty your clothes. YES, he will drool on you and will not spare your couch or your confused and surprised face. YES, puppies can destroy a few pairs of shoes, socks and even furniture because they are teething or because they are not used to being left alone at home. YES, your dog will smell like a dog because his body is different from ours and if you insist too much and you wash him too much, he could end up developing health problems. YES, your dog will sniff other dogs' behinds to socialize, he will want to go out for walks all the time, he will ask you for cuddles and he will want to sleep with you to feel safe....

In short, your dog will be a dog and the only thing he will never do is ask your permission to love you unconditionally ... Sometimes you will need to take 5 or 10 minutes, take a deep breath and relax ... But you should never get angry or punish your best friend for being what he is: a dog!

3. Humanize him or want to change his way of being.

As we explained before, your dog is a dog, not a person, let alone a baby. This does not mean that one species is superior or inferior to another, it means that each one has its own body, its own personality and, therefore, its own needs. Although one may have the feeling that a humanized dog enjoys many "luxuries and privileges", in fact this dog suffers because it is unable to express itself freely.

As tutors, your mission and responsibilities will be to learn to respect and love your dogs for the way they are. Of course, you will never be blamed if you treat your best friends with all the love in the world, but never forget that humanizing a dog means not respecting the needs of its body and mind.

4. Allowing him to do everything and not educating him properly

If you adopt a dog, you must be aware that, beyond loving, cuddling and having fun with him, he will need education. Unfortunately, many people are unaware that education is one of the most important things to consider when adopting a dog. We often see dogs abandoned by their families because they had behavioral problems that are often related to poor education and lack of socialization.

Educating your dog will allow you to teach him the rules of your home so that you can live together in a healthy and safe manner. In this way, you will be able to prevent many behaviour problems and domestic accidents. But that's not all: training is, in short, the best exercise you can give your best friend to stimulate him physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially.

 5. Punish him physically or emotionally

For many years, mankind mistakenly believed that physical or emotional punishment could positively contribute to a dog's education. But fortunately, we already know today that any form of violence is totally counterproductive for learning.

If you want to train your dog, you should never use physical force, let alone psychological humiliation. Hitting your dog, punishing him, locking him up, shouting at him, offending him, scolding him... All these "techniques" (which have nothing to do with training) expose your hairy friend to very negative emotions, such as fear and stress. A dog that is afraid and does not trust his master will not only have enormous difficulty concentrating and learning, but he may also adopt a defensive posture and even end up attacking if he feels threatened.

Therefore, punishments of any kind are dangerous and totally counterproductive in the education of your dogs. To train him, you can opt for positive reinforcement that will stimulate his physical, cognitive and emotional abilities, in addition to strengthening the bond between you.

6. Abandoning, locking him up or ignoring him

The abandonment of dogs and other pets is a sad reality of our society. In most cases, abandonment could be avoided if we people were properly educated before adopting a pet.

A dog is an intelligent and sensitive animal that needs time and space to develop properly. In addition, in order to feed him, take him to the veterinarian, vaccinate him, de-parasitize him and offer him other indispensable care, such as oral hygiene, toys to stimulate him physically and mentally, indispensable accessories for his walk (leash, muzzle, etc.), it will also be necessary that you have some economic solvency. Therefore, you will have understood how much prior planning is required for the adoption of a dog and that it generates a lot of responsibility.

However, there is also another type of abandonment, as cruel as the previous one... If you don't pay attention to your dog's needs, if you are always very busy, if you lock him up or if you prevent him from being able to discover the world with his own senses, if you ignore his physical and emotional needs, or if you don't give him the care he needs to be happy and healthy, in a way, you are also abandoning your dog.

Walk him with you, pet him and let him sleep close to you, tell him how much you love and admire him, prepare a home-cooked meal to tell him that you love him by feeding him... Don't miss a single opportunity to give him back a little of all the love he gives you day after day.

7. Have fun stressing him out

Dogs can do many curious things that can arouse your curiosity and even make you laugh. However, you should never make your dog feel uncomfortable, nervous or annoyed just to make you laugh. In fact, exposing your best friends to stress, fear or anxiety shouldn't be something fun... If your dog doesn't like it when you blow on him or if he feels uncomfortable when you try to hug him, respect him and don't do it.

Your best friend likes to have fun with you and you have a lot of activities available to him: you can play sports with him, you can go for walks together or travel, you can teach him tricks and even prepare intelligence games to stimulate your dog's mind.

8. Take him to the vet only when he is sick.

Of course, if you observe any changes in your dog's behaviour or appearance, don't hesitate to take him to the vet. However, it is essential that you set up preventive consultations every six months to check your dog's state of health. It is also important to respect your dog's vaccination schedule and to deworm him regularly.

All dogs, whether cross-bred or purebred, need and deserve adequate preventive medicine to stay free of diseases and behavioural problems. Also remember that a complete and balanced diet, proper physical and mental stimulation, good oral hygiene and a safe and supportive environment are essential to maintaining the good health of your best friend.

9. Scolding him for hours after he's done something wrong.

When you scold your dog, you're putting him through stress, fear and anxiety. These emotions have a very negative impact on his mental health and, consequently, on his behaviour. As a result, many dogs lose control of their own reactions and may commit involuntary acts, such as yawning when you scold them.

If you have just adopted a dog, you must be careful of this type of behaviour as it can be a sign that your dog has not been well socialized or has suffered physical or emotional abuse.

In fact, if you are scolding your dog for something that happened a long time ago, he won't really be able to understand the subject of your anger. This will cause him to be very suspicious and worried. So he will be frustrated that he doesn't understand what you mean, so your dog might end up barking when you scold him, trying to calm you down and saying something like "that's enough, I don't understand why you're angry but I don't want any trouble between us".

10. Feeding him dangerous food

Offering him a complete and balanced diet means not only taking care of his health, but also respecting the needs of his body and mind. Your furry friend needs a balanced diet to develop properly and enjoy an active and happy life.

There are many forbidden foods for dogs that you eat on a daily basis, such as chocolate, sugar or salt. Even some fruits or vegetables can become poisonous to your best friends. In addition, their bodies are not adapted to assimilate fried foods, industrialized foods or artificial treats (cans, chewing gum, etc...).

You can offer them a homemade and nutritious diet, always respecting their body's capacities and nutritional needs. At PlanèteAnimal, we explain what the BARF diet is, what the benefits of such a diet are for your dog's health or how to prepare BARF recipes for dogs.

However, if you prefer commercial kibbles for your dog, remember to always choose high quality products made from digestible protein of animal origin.

11. Depriving him of a healthy social life

Dogs are very sociable animals that like to have the opportunity to interact with other dogs, express their curiosity and discover new stimuli through their senses. This is why for most dogs, walks are one of the happiest moments of their day.

If you deprive your dog of interaction with other dogs, other people or even animals of other species, you are not giving him the opportunity to develop his cognitive, emotional and social skills. In addition, it is very important that your dog learns to make a positive connection with other individuals, with the stimuli of his environment and those of his own territory. This will prevent them from becoming aggressive or fearful at the slightest social interaction.

Socialization of the dog is an indispensable part of his education. It gives them the opportunity to live and interact with other individuals in a safe and confident manner. Although it is ideal to start socializing a dog at an early age, it is also possible to do so when the dog is an adult. Always be very patient and provide positive reinforcement.

12. Stop helping him because of a behavioural problem

All dogs, regardless of breed, sex or age, can develop certain behavioral problems throughout their lives. 

If you properly train and socialize your dog as a puppy and provide him with proper care and proper preventive medicine, you can prevent an infinite number of undesirable behaviors. However, you should not abandon your dog if he has a behavioural problem at some point in his life.

A behaviour problem in a dog is not a permanent sentence, or a character flaw. It is simply a sign that something is wrong with his body or mind. So when you notice that your dog's character has changed, if he is more aggressive or nervous than usual, the first thing you should do is take him to the vet quickly.

The veterinarian will be able to check his state of health and he will try to find out if these behavioural alterations have a pathological cause. Many illnesses that cause severe pain or interfere and blur the dogs senses, as well as hormonal disturbances, can lead to behavioral problems. When a pathology is diagnosed, the professional will be able to recommend appropriate treatment. However, if a pathological cause is ruled out, it would be preferable to consult an ethologist or a dog trainer.

Most behavioural problems of your animals can be treated with the help of a veterinary ethologist and a canine educator. Therefore, don't give up, because now more than ever, he needs you to help him overcome a difficult moment and regain his self-confidence. Without a doubt, he will also be at your side when you need a friend....